The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-03-12
neighborhood; one on which ! expect 10
travel myself when business or pleasure


and take In the yastness and the magnit.
cence Of the schemes for macadamizing
the principal roads Of the state that have
been and will be promulgated by that
grand highway association that meets an
nually a, the capital, | confess TO a weak
ness ON this point cannot help but think
that when an act of legislature Is passed,
requiring u tax 10 be collected for grading,
thing aud matchmaking MI the principa
roads leading into our principal towns and
cities, that II will be stupendous under
taking, that IL will require a vast amount
amount OF treasure, more than the tax.
payers for the next generation or 81 would
be willing 10 expeud. The tax would be
resisted, whether constitutional or not, un.
less IL should be SO general that all would
be benefited alike, for no man wishes to
fix up his neighbor at his own expense,
though belieAe In the not very distant
future that all our roads will be gradually
improved and macadamized; when our
state has become wealthy and prosperous,
and our principal towns have grown to be
large manufacturing and mercantile cities,
and our land has become 80 valuable that
the requirements of the age and the force
of circumstances will make II a necessity.
| believe that the time Is coming when
"a man" can travel In his own conveyance,
If 30 disposed, from Chicago to st. Louis
ON a wide and smooth macadamized road
equal 10 solldity and durability to that of
any other road In the country; with drains
and culverts and bridges sufficient to keep
II dry and In good condition at all times
and In all seasons of the year. And be.
lieve there will be other roads equally AS
good connecting our cities and larger
towns and villages; with still other leading
into them for the convenience and comfor,
of the farmer, the mechanic and the la.
borer. But II will take vast amount of
money and of labor, and comparatively a
long period of time 10 accomplish all this
II will not be done during the lifetime of
many of us now living. Yet 1t might he
quickly done if the people were as willing
to be taxed for the improvement of their
common roads as they are for the adorn.
ment of their paths of glory" If the
same amount of money voted by our legis-
lature 10 erect mont nents of marble to
our "lllustrious dead"-whose general
ship, scholarship and craftsmanship may
be questioned twenty years hence-the
shortest time that should be allotted a
man TO have achieved his greatness after
he is dead-were expended in purchasing
metal" for the improvement of our high.
WAYS, IL would rebound more TO the honor,
prosperity and happiness of our state and
be a lasting monument to those who voted
it.
The Ottawa and Vermillion road was
built by subscription and not by tax
upon those who seldom travel it. And
propose to finish 1t as II was begun. /
propose TO renew our subscriptions, and
that each man should give an amount
equal to what tax would amount to that
would materially enhance the value of his
land, facilitate his travel and add to his
health, ease and comfort; his wear, tear
and swear when hauling light or heavy
load, or his "goings in or out" in his two
horse or one. horse or no. horse vehicle,
as the case might be, for the man who
propels wheelbarrew with his hands or
bis velocipede with his feet requires as
good road as anybody, and should pay
accordingly. And everybody, whether in
the country or in the city, should give,
not only to this particular road, but to
every other road leading into his market
town, according as he expects to be bene-
fitted in the comfort Of his person or the
value of his estate, and trust to a judicious
system of taxation to keep 1t In repair.
Under the existing state of affairs the
condition of our roads generally and the
disposition of the people to resist heavy
taxes for road purposes, think that the
only feasible plan for those who hope or
expect to realise any immediate benefit
from good roads is to put their hands in
their pockets and pay according to the en-
joyment or emolument they expect to re-
ceive, and at subsequent township cleo
tions choose commissioners that will agree
TO keep them In order with the ordinary
tax levied for that purpose. AS age
"grows apace' upon me, l feel more
anxious for the completion Of this road,
which has answered the expectations of
those who contributed to its construction,
and put to silence the croakings of those
who predicted its failure.
In few short years shall take "back
seat in the carriage during the remainder
of life," and would like to have that jour
ney as pleasant here as l hope 1t may be
hereafter; but If wait for an act Of legis-
lature, suggested by the wisdom of our
highway commissioners association, or any
other association or union or council or
convention; If | wait to see our state
gerrymandered into outlandish road dis
tricts; If wait to see our convicts from
Joliet, our insane from Kankakee, our